In earlier religions the spirit of the time was expressed through the individual and confirmed by miracles. In modern religions the spirit is expressed through the many and confirmed by reason.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Earlier religions linked the spirit of an age to individuals and miracles, while modern religions link it to the collective and reason.
- In plain terms
- Old faiths tied the era’s spirit to people and miracles; new faiths tie it to groups and logic.
- What can you take from it?
- Belief systems evolve from personal miracles to collective reasoning.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do modern institutions reflect collective reasoning?
- Can miracles still influence contemporary belief?
Another view
The statement oversimplifies complex religious traditions.
More from Heinrich Heine
I fell asleep reading a dull book and dreamed I kept on reading, so I awoke from sheer boredom.
Permalink to quote #33 You cannot feed the hungry on statistics.
Permalink to quote #35 There are more fools in the world than there are people.
Permalink to quote #32
Related quotes
Although the mass of the people accepted the white man's God, either under physical duress or because he seemed more powerful than their own Gods, they never a…
Penny LernouxPenny Lernoux quote #1 To us Germans everything is religion. What we do we do not merely with our hands and brains, but with our hearts and souls. This has often become a tragic fate…
Baldur von SchirachBaldur von Schirach quote #3 'Indeed all people of this country owe a vote of gratitude to the church for what it has done to this country in the course of our civilisation. I urge us to r…
Josefa VosanibolaJosefa Vosanibola quote #4